10.10.26 - 8:45 PM10.10.2026 - 8:45 PM·6m6 minute(s) read·
By Rabia Sayal
VIT PAL: "LOUD’s individual talent is a major strength [...] we have more individual talent"
Team Vitality and G2 Esports attended the post-match press conferences after their battle on October 10. The players and coaching staff talked about Vitality’s victory, G2 facing T1 once again, Jamppi denying babybay’s ace, and more.
Share
Team Vitality will face LOUD in Upper Bracket Final at VALORANT Champions Shanghai
Loading...
Team Vitality has kept EMEA’s hopes alive at VALORANT Champions Shanghai after defeating G2 Esports 2-0 to advance to the Upper Bracket Final, where it will face LOUD on October 16. Meanwhile, the Americas representative will begin its lower bracket run against T1 on October 11.
Following today’s matchup, both teams attended the post-match press conference to discuss Vitality’s victory, G2 facing T1 once again, Elias "Jamppi" Olkkonen denying Andrej "babybay" Francisty’s ace, their plans for the remainder of the tournament, and more.
Questions for G2 Esports
You dominated 100 Thieves 13-5 on Abyss, but today you lost 13-11 to Vitality. What made Vitality’s approach different, and why couldn’t you close out the map?
Josh "JoshRT" Lee: “They play at a slower pace and give their lurkers more freedom while maintaining map control. I think we also lost our composure in some situations. We had advantages but didn’t know how to play out the next phase, and we made several fundamental mistakes. Ultimately, I think it came down to the pressure and the stakes of the match. Perhaps expectations are higher now that we’re close to reaching the Mercedes-Benz Arena, but we still need to respect our opponents and recognize that they can make a run, too.
When we studied Vitality, I felt like we were looking in a mirror stylistically. They like to work the map and figure things out, but today, they did a much better job of outplaying us. It’s a map we wish we could get back. On a better day, I think we win it, but it is what it is, and we’re focused on regrouping for tomorrow.”
You’ll face T1 in the lower bracket tomorrow. They beat you in the Bangkok final, but you eliminated them in Santiago. How have they evolved over the last few tournaments, and what do you expect from them tomorrow?
Andrej "babybay" Francisty: “Meteor (Kim Tae-oh) looked pretty average on Chamber for a while, but he’s playing better now, which is helping them win and make a run. A lot of their plays rely on him, and they’re putting a lot of faith in his Operator. Looking at the stats, he’s getting plenty of Operator kills. The good thing is that we’ve practiced against lukxo (Lucca Travaioli) in the Americas, so we should be ready for them. It’s going to be a crazy fight. They’re coming off a win and have a lot to prove. I’m sure they want to eliminate us after we knocked them out in Santiago and at Champions last year.”
What are your thoughts heading into tomorrow’s match? Do you have any words for your teammates and the fans supporting you?
Jacob "valyn" Batio: “I’m not feeling too bad about this loss. Vitality played really well, and we were below our standard. When you give a good team a few rounds or start slowly, they can build momentum and run with it. Split wasn’t really us, so I’m not too worried about it. I’m putting it behind me. Obviously, losing sucks, but we’re playing back-to-back days, and I’m still having a blast on stage. I hope the boys don’t feel too much pressure or get too down about this. We’re still alive, and this isn’t an elimination match. We can still go on a run. I’m looking forward to tomorrow. It’s a weekend match, the fans are here supporting us, and we have some history with T1, so it should be a fun game.”
You’ve often talked about being the closer, the player who finishes it all. However, your role seems to have evolved as G2 has developed into its current form. How do you see yourself as a player now?
Alexander "jawgemo" Mor: “I still believe in that role, of course. I’ve proven it once. It builds up match by match, and today was a little harder for me. But tomorrow is the biggest game, and I love playing in matches with the highest stakes and pressure. That’s where the game really matters. These are the games where you can make it to the arena, but I want to knock you out. That’s what I enjoy doing. I’ll maintain that confidence and try to lift the boys up. Today was below our standard, but tomorrow is a different story. We live to tell the tale, and we’ll see you tomorrow.”
Questions for Team Vitality
You’ve secured your place there at the Mercedes-Benz Arena. How does it feel, and how will you spend the next few days before Friday’s match?
Elias "Jamppi" Olkkonen: “Tomorrow, I’ll go to the sauna, relax, and enjoy the win. It feels incredible. I don’t think I’ve ever played in an arena that big. The crowd was amazing today, and finishing in the top three at Champions is a huge achievement because it’s the best result of my career. Doing it with this team makes it even more special. I can’t wait to play there. When we arrived in Shanghai about two weeks ago, we walked past the arena, and I imagined myself competing there. Now it’s actually happening, so I’m very happy.
G2’s social media team dubbed you “JUMPPI” after you denied babybay’s ace. What was going through your mind at that moment?
Jamppi: It was just a funny moment, and babybay likes to have fun, too. I heard the crowd yelling, “Ace, ace, ace!” Then I thought, “What if I just jump off the map?” Maybe it would affect his mental state, because VALORANT is a mental game. It was just fun.”
After losing 4-13 on Abyss previously, you turned things around with a strong 9-3 start before beating G2 today. What was the key to that improvement?
Benjamin "Scuttt" Hutchinson: “It’s hard work. We clarified our identity on the map, although we still have some problems to iron out. I also think starting on the T-side is a big advantage on Abyss.”
What are your thoughts on facing LOUD again, and how much could experience matter in such an important match?
Timofey "Chronicle" Khromov: “I’d say we’re the present of VALORANT, not the past. If we were the past, we wouldn’t be competing in this tournament. It’s always exciting to play against rookies because they bring a lot of energy and introduce things you might not expect. It’s super fun, and I’m looking forward to facing them again in the upper final.”
You and Chronicle won trophies with Fnatic in the past, and now you have another opportunity to compete for one of VALORANT’s biggest titles. What does it mean to be this close to a grand final and play in the Mercedes-Benz Arena?
Nikita "Derke" Sirmitev: “We’re still a long way from the trophy. We’ve secured a top-three finish, which feels close, but we still need to win a couple more games. For me, reaching the Mercedes-Benz Arena is the biggest achievement right now. The huge crowd and new stage will give us energy and hype, which could help us play even better. That’s exciting. I can’t think about the trophy yet. I’m focused on my game, and I think I’m doing well, so I’m feeling confident. I’m just excited to play in the arena.”
Chronicle: “I don’t want to worry about the future. It doesn’t matter right now. I’ve played in two grand finals and lost both. Once, we were just one win away from winning it all, but none of that matters now. What matters is beating LOUD in the upper final. After that, we’ll see who we face next. We need to get the most enjoyment out of the game. We might not win the trophy, but we should at least enjoy the experience. Otherwise, it would all be for nothing.”
LOUD’s young talent has made a major impact at Champions. What stands out about this roster, and what will you need to watch out for in the upper final?
Gregor "PAL" Morton: “The biggest thing is the confidence these young players have. We’ve learned the hard way this year what some Tier 2 teams are capable of. What stood out most was how many multikills these players get. However, if you trade them out and secure the kill, even if one of your players goes down in the process, they don’t have many win conditions left. LOUD’s individual talent is a major strength, as we saw on their map today, particularly the third map on Summit. Frankly, I think we have more individual talent, with a better spread across all five players. We don’t rely on one or two players to step up every time. We’ll look to replicate what we did the first time around, trade them out, and stay disciplined.”
